Newington Eases Some Marijuana-Growing Zoning Rules

December 12, 2013|By CHRISTOPHER HOFFMAN, Special to The Courant, The Hartford Courant

NEWINGTON — The zoning commission decided Wednesday to consider letting medical marijuana production facilities locate closer to single-family homes and other areas that could have concerns about such operations.

The commission, however, expressed no inclination to reduce the proposed buffer between the dispensaries of medical marijuana and private houses.

Economic Development Director Andy Brecher had asked the commission at its last meeting to reduce the buffer for both types of operations — producers and dispensaries — saying it would prevent a such businesses from considering coming to town. The buffer is part of draft rules regulating medical marijuana businesses.

Brecher compared medical marijuana to aspirin and said the commission should treat its production and distribution facilities similarly.

Ghulam Azhai, who wants to open a dispensary at 260 Stamm Road, expressed disappointment Wednesday that the commission appeared uninterested in reducing the dispensary buffer.

"If they are not going to change the buffer, then we will take our business somewhere else," Azhai said. "I hope we can stay in Newington because I have been living in this town for the last 22 or 23 years."

Azhai repeated his offer to donate 2 percent of his profits to the town's social service agency and another 2 percent to Hartford Hospital.

"They're going to lose the revenue," he said.

Azhai said he would decide by Jan. 15 whether to open at an alternative site in Meriden.

Earlier in the evening, commission member Kenneth Leggo suggested that the commission reduce the buffer for medical marijuana production facilities to 100 feet.

But member Frank Aieta expressed skepticism about allowing production that close to single-family homes.

"I think that 100 feet is a little too close," Aieta said. "That opens up a huge area in town that's open to production facilities.

Aieta said that the commission should consider following the lead of other towns and declaring a temporary moratorium on medical marijuana facilities.

"I think that's a pretty good approach," he said.

Earlier in the meeting, the only speaker at the commission's continued public hearing on the draft rule strongly defended the 1,000-foot buffer.

"The draft regulations are prudent and safe for the initial go-around, including buffers and other restrictions," resident Gail Butrejko said. "Again, this is new territory and caution at the outset should not be derided as judging, but rather as prudent planning."

Leggo also said the body should also consider allowing producers to operate 24 hours a day seven days a week, a necessity for their business.

The current draft restricts both dispensary and production hours to 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.